Leukemia

Leukemia

What Is Meant By Leukemia?

Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells. There are several broad categories of blood cells, including red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets. Generally, leukemia refers to cancers of the WBCs.
WBCs are a vital part of your immune system. They protect your body from invasion by:
Bacteria.
Viruses.
Fungi.
Abnormal cells.
Foreign substances.
In leukemia, the WBCs do not function like normal WBCs. They can also divide too quickly and eventually crowd out normal cells.
WBCs are mostly produced in the bone marrow, but certain types of WBCs are also made in the:
Lymph nodes.
Spleen.
Thymus gland.

Leukemia Symptoms
Different types of leukemia can cause different problems. You might not notice any signs in the early stages of some forms.

When you do have symptoms, they may include:
Weakness or fatigue
Bruising or bleeding easily
Fever or chills
Infections that are severe or keep coming back
Pain in your bones or joints
Headaches
Vomiting
Seizures
Weight loss
Night sweats
Shortness of breath
Swollen lymph nodes or organs like your spleen.

Causes of Leukemia.
Researchers do not know what exactly causes leukemia. However, there are some risk factors for developing this cancer.

Some of these causes include:
Previous chemotherapy or radiation for other types of cancers.
Genetic disorders like Down syndrome.
Other blood cancer disorders.
Repeated exposure to the chemical benzene, which is found in cigarette smoke.

Leukemia Risk Factors.
Smoke.
Are exposed to a lot of radiation or certain chemicals.
Had radiation therapy or chemotherapy to treat cancer.
Have a family history of leukemia.
Have a genetic disorder like Down syndrome.

The types of leukemia
Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).